Welding electrode holder



June 7, 1949.

c. w. TABER WELDING ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed Sept. 2, 1947 V INVENTOR. CZ'f/fora/ 756er Patented June 7, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in welding electrode holders.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved welding electrode holder wherein there is a pair of opposed jaw carrying members hingedly connected together and spring actuated so as to cause the jaws to clampingly engage upon a welding electrode, the jaw carrying members being arranged symmetrically with relation to the opposed faces of the jaws and with respect to the hinge pin hingedly connecting them together, with the single exception of the connection of the cable to one of the jaw carrying members which is so arranged that the span between the handle portions of the jaw carrying members will not be excessive, thus facilitating opening of the electrode holder when it is necessary to replace electrodes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved electrode holder consisting of two jaw carrying members hingedly connected together with the jaw carrying members being covered by insulating covers extending over the outer and lateral sides of the jaw carrying members to effectively protect and insulate them in the event that the electrode holder is positioned or dropped on a ground surface and wherein the hinge pin hingedly connecting the jaw carrying members together is retained in its position entirely by one of the covers which is detachably secured to its jaw carrying member. In this manner whenever it is necessary to grind or polish the electrode engaging surfaces of the jaws on removal of the detachable cover the hinge pin can be easily withdrawn to enable the jaw carrying members to be separated from each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electrode holder wherein one of the insulating covers extending around a jaw carrying member has lateral side portions that extend over the sides of the compression spring that urges the jaw carrying members into clamping position and wherein the opposed jaw carrying member has an insulating spring seat bridging or spanning the space between the opposed jaw carrying members and said portions whereby the spring is effectively surrounded by insulating material.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an electrode holder wherein internally threaded ferrules are driven through the opposed `law carrying members one of which provides a spring seat for the compression spring and the other of which secures the insulating spring seat to the jaw carrying member and wherein screws are driven through the insulating covers and into these ferrules for detachably fastening the insulating covers to the jaw carrying members.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for forming an electrical connection between the cable connection and one or the jaw carrying members of the electrode holder.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved electrocle holder embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the same;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially upon the line 3-3 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially upon the line l-ll upon Fig. 1; and

l Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a modied form of cable connector construction that may be employed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved electrode holder consists of two opposed jaw carrying members it and ll preferably formed of copper or other highly conducting material. These jaw carryng members are channel shaped in cross section throughout the major portions of their lengths and have overlapping ears l2 through which a hinge pin i3 extends to hingedly connect the jaw carrying members intermediate their ends. At the forward ends oi the jaw carrying members there are jaws lll and l5 which are preferably formed of copper and which are normally urged towards each other for mutual clamping engagement upon a welding electrode, not shown. These jaws are secured in place such as by screws it. insulating covers l'l and I8 are provided which are formed of suitable insulating material such as Bakelite. These covers are likewise channel shaped in cross section throughout substantial portions of their lengths and cover the outer and lateral sides of the jaw carrying members It and Il.VY The upper cover ll has downwardly extending side portions i9 at the sides thereof which extend downwardly over the ends of the hinge pin I3.`v These side portions'may be internally recessed as at 2t to accommodate the projecting ends of the hinge pin. The ends of the hinge pin preferably are not riveted over but merely abut against the portions is of the cover il' when the cover is in applied position. In this manner the cover constitutes the sole means of maintaining the hinge pin in position extending through the ears l2. Consequently on removing the cover IT from the electrode holder the pin i3 can be easily removed from between the jaw carrying ymembers to :enable them to be separated to polish or clean .the faces .of the jaws Hi and l5 whenever occasion requires.

Near the rear ends of the jaw carrying members hollow internally threaded ferrules 2l and 22 are driven through the jaw carrying members and have their outer ends riveted over. The ferrule 22 extends inwardly into the bottomlof acoil compression spring 23 forminga spring seat for this compression spring. The ierrule 2l extends into an insulating button 24 which is recessed to accommodate the other `end of the compression spring :23 and .thus formafspring seat'therefor. This button or spring seat .24 .extends approximately one-half the .distance between the jaw carrying members Hland H. The lower cover I8 has side portions 26 that :extend upwardly so as to overlap 4the bottom .of the spring seat 24. In this manner the side portions 2&5 cooperate with the springseat :24 4in effectively surrounding the spring 23 with insulating material. Screws 2'! are driven vthrough the covers I1 and I8 and into the insulating ferrules. Similarly screws 28 are driven .through'the covers and into the jaws I4 and l5. These .screws preferably have their heads counter-sunk in 4.the .covers and .upon unscrewing .them .thecovers l1 and I8 can be readily removed from the jaw carrying members.

Anovel feature of the construction resides in the manner in which the lower jaw carrying member is electrically-connected to the cable 29. This cable Lis preferably leaded orotherwise secured in an externally threaded thirnble 30 that isadapted to be :screwed into a socket 3I. The extreme rear end of thelower jaw carrying member H has its sides and kbottom wrapped around a frusto-conical stud .32 as -shown in Fig. 4. This stud has a threaded end 33 that is adapted to be screwedlinto-the socket. The socket has a tapered recess .li/and when vthe stud is tightened therein it eiectively draws `and clamps the wrappedportion of thelowerjawcarrying member il .into rrn electrical connection with the socketS-I.

An .insulating -sleeve y35 extends .around the socket 3l andthe forwardend of thecable 29 and maybelocked-thereonsuch as by a set screw 35 which is preferably tightened against the threaded portion 33 to prevent .the stud from loosening .or unscrewing within the socket.

In lieu of providing the cable 2.9 with an eX- ternally threaded thimble 30 .the socket 3l may havethe coniiguration` illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein .there .is an undercut lrabbeted tongue 3B formed on the rear end of `.thesocket for connection thereto of a connector or electric coupling of the type disclosed in the application filed by me jointly with C. D. VHobson and John T. Newton on November 13, 1945, Serial No. 628,010.

It will be noted thatthejaw .carrying members andtheir covers are arranged .symmetrically with relation to the planes ofthe opposed faces of the jaws lll and lbutthat the axisof the connection of thecable 29 to .the'lower jaw carrying member H Ais vapproximately parallel .to the planes of the jaws. Consequently the span between the overhanging handle portion of the cover I1 and the bottom of the sleeve 35 is not excessive to open the electrode holder whenever replacement of the Welding electrodes is required. This arrangement is also conducive to a better balance of the electrode holder than in instances where the lower jaw carrying member extends forwardly in :adirectioncoaxial with the end of the cable.

From the above-described construction it will be appreciated that an improved electrode holder `is'provided which is of relatively simple yet high- Aly vdurable construction and the parts of which can be readily disassembled whenever occasion The insulating parts are of relatively simple A.design and .can be easily manufactured and effectively provide insulation surrounding conducting parts of the holder.

Various changes maybe made in the detalls of construction :withoutdeparting from .the .spirit and scope of the invention as deiined by theappended-` claims.

IclaimI l. In a welding electrode holder,.a pair of opposed jaw carrying members hingedly connected together,acompressionspring between the members on theopposite side of the hinge from the jaws and urgingV saidmembers to cause .their jaws to .clamp upon .an electrode, insulating covers covering theouterzandlateral sid-es of said members,v one of said .coversfhaving side-portions projecting .overthe sides of the spring, the opposed jaw carrying member carrying an insulating spring .seat .for thespring `bridging .the space between said portions :and said opposed member.

"2. In .a welding electrode .holder .a pair of opposed jaw carrying members hingedly connected together, a compression spring between the members on the opposite .side of .the hinge from the jaws and .urging saidmembers to cause their jaws to clamp -upon "an electrode, insulating covers coveringthe outer and'lateral sides of said members, vone ofsaid covers having side portionsprojecting over .the sides of .the.spring, the opposed jaw carrying member carrying an insulating spring seat for the spring bridging the space between said lportions and said opposed member, internally threaded ferrules extending through the jaw ycarrying members and into the spring and spring seat respectively, and screws screwed through the covers andinto the ferrules for detachably fasteningl the covers to their respective jaw .carrying members.

3. In 'a welding electrode holder, a socket to which'a cable conducting electric current to the electrode holder .is adapted .to beconnected, a tapered stud having 'a .threaded extension screwed 'into said socket 'there being a tapered recess'in the socket `and a'portion of the electrode holder wrapped'arouni the "tapered stud between the walls thereof and the walls of the taperedv recessv in 'the socket.

CEIFFORDW. TABER.

Number 

